DEMOLITION OF BARRACKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 191, 14 August 1931, Page 2

DEMOLITION OF BARRACKS

SITE FOR NEW AIUSEUAI. WAR Af EMORI AL CAMPANILE. WELLINGTON, Aug. 12. It is expected that within the next few days the debris from the old Mount Cook barracks will be completely removed, leaving the way clear for the commencement of work on the National Art Gallery, which, with the Dominion Museum and National War Afemorial Campanile—now in course of construc-tion-will form a national group. About 3,000,000 bricks were contained in the barracks, and they had to be brought down by blasting. Afany of the bricks were in excellent order, a testimony to the prison labour responsible for them. About 500,090 have been sold and about 40,000 more are available for building purposes. Some of the walls in the barracks wcro seven feet thick. Compared with the barracks, the demolition of the Government Life Insurance Building—which is to be replaced by a more modern structure—should not present any great difficulty. Afuch of the debris is being used as a foundation for the roadways on the site. Satisfactory progress is being made with the erection of the National War Memorial Campanile, and the fourth floor of the tower proper is under way. As soon as the fifth floor is completed progress will be much more rapid.